Managing Fisheries in Baltic Marine Protected Areas

The main objective of the BALTFIMPA project is to assist, on a regional level, the HELCOM Contracting States to comply with their obligations to fulfill conservation objectives of marine protected areas in the Baltic Sea. BALTFIMPA shall thus analyze possible conflicts between fisheries and conservation objectives in MPAs (including Baltic Sea Protected Areas and areas of NATURA 2000), taking into account the protected species, and it will identify fisheries management measures accordingly. This will be accomplished by studying the impact of fisheries and then finding new solutions to mitigate it. Solutions can range from improved management of fisheries regulations to development of new types of fishing gear that are more sustainable for the environment. These solutions need then to be promoted and disseminated to all relevant stakeholders. The central question guiding the project is "how can fisheries management contribute to achieving conservation objectives of marine protected areas?" The Baltic Sea boasts a solid network of marine protected areas that covers 12% of The Baltic Sea; however, within these areas fishing activities are only marginally regulated. BALTFIMPA stems from the Baltic Sea Action Plan and the 2010 HELCOM Moscow Ministerial Meeting where it was decided "to further assess the environmentally negative impacts of fishing activities including unsustainable fishing practices with the aim as a first step to consider the exclusion of the use of certain techniques in marine protected areas to achieve their conservation objectives". The project also finds support in the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, including the development of a methodology on the impacts of fisheries in NATURA 2000 areas, the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, and the CBD COP 10 decisions. The geographical scope of the project is the Baltic Sea as defined in the Helsinki Convention. The project includes an initial phase (inception phase) to develop a matrix on potential impacts of fisheries on Baltic species and habitats and prepare for carrying out a larger scale project, where the outcomes of the above matrix will be tested in case studies on three to five chosen Baltic Marine Protected Areas. The inception phase of the project was part of, and financed by,​ the Germany led EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Priority Area 2 (to preserve natural zones and biodiversity, including fisheries).

BALTFIMPA has seen the need for a collective cooperation, bringing together an ensemble of policy-makers, conservation organizations, representatives from the fishing industry, and academic researchers to address key issues, solicit valuable input, and demonstrate the fisheries management decisions tools being developed by the project.